Pune: The health authorities in Pune have already sprung into action due to a rise in COVID-19 cases in the district with the second wave troubling Maharashtra. A record number of COVID-19 tests are conducted in Pune on daily basis.
From the past 14 months, 40 lakh COVID-19 tests are conducted in the Pune district to date. Of the total tests, 8,29,505 were found positive for the novel virus. Of the total tests, 21,07,591 tests were conducted in Pune city while Pimpri Chinchwad accounted for 10,58,643 tests. The rural area which was once the epicentre of the virus has also conducted 6,48,345 tests so far while Councils have reported 1,52,667 total tests.
Pune had recently hit a new scale in the daily tally of cases when over 11,000 people tested positive for the contagious virus in a single day. The district from the past few days is also witnessing a slight dip in the number of new cases.
Testing of all people for SARS-CoV-2, including those who have no symptoms, who show indications of infection such as breathing, fever, sore, and who may have been exposed to the infection help prevent the spread of COVID-19 by identifying people who require care in a timely fashion. While testing has been an aim, the administration is also paying attention to institutional care of patients registering mild symptoms so that they do not spread the virus to others.
Pune district on Thursday registered 11,872 new COVID-19 cases taking the progressive total to 8,29,505. Of the total cases, 4,895 were reported from Pune City (Pune Municipal Corporation) followed by 2,516 in Pimpri Chinchwad (Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation). While the Councils and Rural area accounted for 805 and 3,554 new cases respectively. District data also showed that 163 deaths were reported from the Pune district, taking the total number to 12,925.
In a sigh of relief, 9,337 patients were recovered in the district in the past 24-hours.
CM THACKERAY TO ADDRESS THE STATE
Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray will address the state today (Friday). All eyes are set on the Chief Minister who may announce the vaccine policy for the state.
Meanwhile, the Maharashtra government on Thursday extended the current lockdown-like restrictions till May 15, against the backdrop of rising COVID-19 cases and the death toll in the state. The restrictions were implemented in the state to curtail the rapid spread of COVID-19 infection. The decision was declared on Thursday by state chief secretary Sitaram Kunte who stated that the decision to extend the lockdown style curfew has been taken as the state continued to be threatened with the spread of the novel virus.
COVID-19 DEATHS DROP IN STATE
A day after recording the highest ever 1,035 COVID-19 deaths, Maharashtra's fatalities were dropped by nearly one-fourth, with an increase in new COVID cases, according to the health department of the state.
Coming down from over the 1,000-brink, the state on Thursday registered 771 deaths, the lowest in a week, taking its tally to 67,985. The number of new COVID cases remained above the 60,000 mark, at 66,159, and the state total went above the 45 lakh mark to 45,39,553. The state death rate remained stable at 1.05 per cent for the third day running.
On the positive side, 68,537 patients were recovered, taking the tally from 37,30,379 to 37,99,266. Also, the recovery rate improved from 83.04 per cent on Wednesday to 83.69 per cent on Thursday.
